ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday restrained the administration of the federal capital from demolition of lawyers’ chambers at District Courts, Islamabad till March 2.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprised Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi conducted hearing of the writ petition of Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) against the removal of their chambers.
During the course of proceedings, the Chief Justice expressed displeasure over gathering of large number of lawyers around the rostrum and said that the court would not come under pressure through these actions. “Once we were also advocates but never tried to pressurise the court,” he added.
He said that the lawyers should not construct chambers at public places and asked them to build their own offices if they want to practice. He said that there were video clips of lawyers where they were talking about the courts. He advised the lawyers to respect the institution whom they represent.
The Chief Justice said that the lawyers considered chambers as their personal property after getting them on lease from the bar associations. He asked who had given power to the bar association to lease the chambers? There was no justification for establishment of lawyers’ chambers on public land, he added.
The SC also issued notice to Attorney General for Pakistan and Advocate General Islamabad High Court (IHC). The Chief Justice told the lawyers, who gathered around rostrum that do not try to influence the Court.
Justice Ijaz said that three-storey chambers were constructed on football ground. Justice Gulzar said that the lawyers consider the chambers their personal property and the bars associations allot chambers to lawyers on lease. He questioned that who and under which law bar associations are authorised to lease out the chambers.
The Chief Justice said that the lawyers cannot construct chambers on the public property. He added that nowhere in the country, the chambers were built on playgrounds. The counsel of IBA said that nowhere in the country, the courts have been set up in shops.
The lawyers on February 8 ransacked IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah chamber and chanted slogans against him and Capital Development Authority for the demolition of their chambers at Islamabad district courts in F-8 sector. The Islamabad police had registered an FIR against 300 lawyers who stormed the IHC building; however, 22 lawyers were named in the FIR under terrorism provisions.
The IHC on February 10 issued contempt of court notices to 29 lawyers on account of their contemptuous acts for assaulting IHC CJ chambers. The Anti-Terrorism Court on February 12 had rejected the post-arrest bail applications of four lawyers arrested for storming into the IHC on Feb 8.
The bar councils and the associations all over Pakistan on 25th February observed strike on the call of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC).